Spellweaver
by Premier Eden
Summary: Armel comes to Skyrim, only to almost be executed, then almost killed by the first dragon seen since the First Era! Follow Armel as he explores Skyrim and his fate! This fanfiction is slowly being put together, and any comments or suggestions will be appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

_ I sat alone, in a field of clouds. Deep in the mist, a figure stirred, flowing closer, closer, and closer. I tried to stand, but my legs weighted like iron ingots. I looked up to find a head of a dragon, black as night, staring back at me. It's red eyes bored into me, looking straight into my soul. Then it lunged._

I woke with a gasp, my knuckles white with tension. Slowly, I relaxed, recognizing where I was. I had escaped from Helgen and certain death with Hadvar, and was now in Riverwood, and had been sleeping in the basement. It was just a dream, a dream that seemed far too real, dragons aren't real anyway. I my mouth began to slide into a smile, before it contorted in shock.

Wait, now they do.

I sat up to find Hadvar's niece looking at me quizzically, before running back upstairs. After getting dressed for the day, I followed her up, to find Hadvar eating breakfast. He tossed me a loaf of bread, and I sat down next to him and his niece, who was animatedly asking him all sorts of questions about the destruction of Helgen. I sat gnawing on the loaf, when suddenly she turned to me, excitement in her eyes. I glanced at Hadvar, and his face was contorted in amusement. Oh no.

"You're a mage?!" She squeaked out, her small frame almost unable to contain her excitement.

"Well, I wouldn't actually call myself a mage..." I began, only to watch her face seemingly collapse in upon itself in disappointment, her eyes becoming big saucers of emotion. Hadvar shook in barely contained laughter behind her at my predicament. "Yes, I am a mage," I said with a sigh.

"Can you show me some magic? Oh please oh please oh please!" She managed to gasp out, before dancing up and down next to me, grabbing my hand and trying to drag me out of my seat. I glanced at Hadvar, his barely contained laughter now unable to be stifled.

"Well, if you insist..." I began, before she finally wrenched me out of my seat and out the door, Hadvar's laughter chasing me the whole way.

"Ok, to get to Whiterun, you just follow the north road across the mountain. once you hit the top, you won't be able to miss the city," explained Hadvar as we walked to the outskirts of Riverwood. "The road should be safe enough, maybe a few wolves at most, nothing you can't handle my friend!" he laughed as he clapped me on the back. "although, I do wonder, are you actually going to tell the Jarl about Helgen? I know you were not exactly a welcome visitor at the time of the attack."

"Of course I will Hadvar! I am in a debt to your family, and this is my way of repaying it; ensuring they are safe. Then I will ensure my name is cleared of all charges, and continue on my merry way!"

Hadvar and I eventually said our goodbyes, split ways, and I started the hike up to the crest. Nearing the top, I noticed that I was being shadowed. Bandits. It seemed that the Legion had been hiding how much of a toll the civil war had been taking from the rest of the Empire, and now I had to deal with it. Rounding a corner in the road, I found the bandits armed and waiting, eager for the confrontation.

There were four of them, arrayed across the road. The leader stood obvious in the center, his bow by his side. The others were armed with rusty iron swords, more of a danger to themselves than to me, if their condition was anything to judge by. From behind me I heard another approaching, hemming me in. Nowhere to run. Two of the lackeys moved to block me as I continued forward.

"I do not want any trouble with you. However, I will not give you anything. Please let me be on my way," Seven to one were not the greatest odds.

"See, it can be that easy. You give us your gold, and that fancy staff, and we will let you go on your way, no trouble at all. However, if you decline our most generous offer, we will be forced to make you, reconsider," spouted the leader dramatically, drawing an arrow and twirling it lazily. The others laughed, clearly hoping I would resist.

"I will give you nothing. Now move aside!" I growled, bringing my sword-staff to bear with a flourish. There was no way around it now, we were going to fight.

I ducked under a wild swing from one of the last lackeys, before swiping his feet from under him with a crash, leaving him open to a quick stab from my staff. "Three down," I muttered to myself, before I almost got gored by an arrow, With a yell, another charged me. Why me?

"I am done with you bandits!" I seethed, as the final lackey crumpled to the ground, groaning from a leg wound. The leader looked at his collapsed band, his eyes flitting around in fear. He clearly had not expected this outcome. I stepped forward and grasped the middle of his bow, before melting it with a small fire spell. He buckled and fell as I kicked the back of his knee, bringing sparks to my fingers and leveling them at his forehead. His eyes latched onto their bluish glow, and widened.

"Please don't kill me!" He whimpered, sweat starting to pour from the sides of his face.

"I'm sure you say that from memory scum!" I barked scornfully. A sour taste entered my mouth as I saw him squirm on the ground.

"I… I promise I won't hurt anyone else ever again! Please, just don't kill me!" he pleaded again, breaking down into sobs. The sparks in my hand started to collapse as my mind worked, why was I actually considering letting him live? He would not do the same for me!

"You look like a smart man, so I will let you go on two conditions: that you go and leave Skyrim, never to return again, and give up your life of crime. Do I make myself clear?" I ordered, letting the electrical crackle cease from my hand.

"Perfectly clear sir, crystal clear. Leave Skyrim, never return, and give up on crime," he stammered. I took my foot off his chest and kicked him onto his side. He stood and stared at me warily, uncertainty flashing in his eyes.

"Well, get out of here then scum. Don't let me see you in Skyrim ever again!" I yelled, reigniting the sparks in my palm, threatening him with their arcing. At this he was off, and I stood watching him run down the pass like a frightened rabbit. Damn my consciousness, he will probably just go right back to banditry within a day!

As the sun started to set, I finally approached Whiterun, it's walls old and dilapidated. This city had seen better days. I approached the city gates, only to have a guard step towards me, a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Halt! Only those with official business can enter the city!" he grumbled out, clearly not wanting to talk to a mere traveler.

"I have news from Helgen, and Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid," I countered sourly, tired from the day's antics.

A few moments later I was in the hall of Dragonsreach, a nice enough place, warm and homely, but still emanated power, especially with the dragon's skull above the Jarl's throne, a nice touch, if you could get a hold of one. I started to approach the throne and the Jarl seated upon it, only to be stopped by a Dunmer woman, eyebrows pinched, mouth in a stern frown, and naked steel in her hand.

"Why do you approach the Jarl?" she asked crossly. I managed to swallow my snappy reply.

"Who do I address?"

"Irileth, the housecarl for Jarl Balgruuf the Greater," she replied dryly.

"I come from Riverwood, they request the Jarl's protection from the dragon menace," I explained. She stood there for a moment, staring me down, before the Jarl himself asked who I was.

"Fine, you may approach," she said angrily, shoving her sword back into its scabbard. There was an unspoken threat that if I tried anything, she would not hesitate to kill me. I could appreciate that attitude.

I approached Jarl Balgruuf the Greater, studying him as I walked up to his throne. He was your typical Nord, muscular with blond hair and a beard. However, his eyes watched and studied me in return as I approached. He was no ignorant brute.

"So why do you approach me Breton?" said Jarl Balgruuf the Greater.

"Riverwood asks for protection from the dragon menace," I said respectfully.

"Ah, thank you for this information. I will consider their request," he said offhandedly. "But there is something else I sense in you," he intoned, leaning forward and peering at me with his knowing eyes. He must be fishing... But what harm would it be to tell him of Helgen?

"I was also at Helgen when it was destroyed by the dragon," I relinquished.

"Ah! So there IS a dragon!" the Jarl exclaimed.

"What do you say now Proventus? Can we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon!?" His advisor, Proventus I assume, said something incomprehensible about the civil war, before Balgruuf slammed his fist down on the arm of his throne.

"I will not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people! Send more guards to Riverwood at once!" he exclaimed angrily.

"As you wish my Jarl," muttered Proventus, rather subdued.

"What is your name Breton?" asked Balgruuf, turning back to me.

"I am Armel, Jarl."

"I thank you for this information you have brought me. Not many outsiders would have warned a people they probably cared little about, and I am grateful for this."

"It was my duty, Jarl."

"Proventus! Bring this man a suitable reward in gold! I will not have such a useful man leave my hall without being rewarded!"

"What is your plan now, Armel?" inquired Balgruuf, as his steward fetched my reward.

"To Solitude. I need to clear my name before I do anything else. Being on an Imperial death list once is enough for me."

"What did you do to warrant that?" asked Balgruuf, as the steward hustled over and handed me my leather pouch full of gold. More than enough for my purposes.

"I came to Skyrim."


	2. Chapter 2

"Watch out! Travelers have been saying there have been bandits on the roads north!" yelled the innkeeper as I let in the morning wind. I waved my thanks, and trundled outside. I had been on the road for a day, and had spent the night in Rorikstead, a nice little hamlet. Bandits on the north roads, at least I knew what to expect this time. I pulled my hood up around my head, and started up the road, daylight was wasting.

It wasn't long until I had rounded another bend in the road, and found a small fort arrayed ahead of me. I could see the movement of people in it, looking like ants from a distance. I snorted at the comparison, they did seem to be popping out of everywhere like them, before shaking my head in disbelief. The innkeeper had said there were bandits, not a whole damned fort of them! Unfortunately for me, there was no way around them. Hopefully, they were merely the 'pay a toll and you can pass' variety. Either way, I had to go through them. sighing, I drew my hood closer, and began the trek down to the fort.

It didn't take long for them to notice my approach, and by the time I had arrived, they were waiting to welcome me, arrows notched and swords drawn.

"Hold your horses traveler, that is close enough!" yelled one of the archers. "This can be a nice and simple affair! Just hand to one of my associates below all of your valuables and weapons, and you can be on your way!" he extorted. Damn him, this just made my life hell. I was hoping to go on my way without having to kill anyone, but now that seems unavoidable.

"And if I don't?" I stalled, trying to find a way out. If I could just get to the side of the road before being skewered by arrows, I would have a chance. the other bandits would have me cornered, but that was better than being a human quiver.

"If you don't, my friends and I will be forced to turn you into our newest pincushion!" he sniggered. He suddenly turned, startled by a fox that had come behind the boulders. I lurched into motion, diving away from the open road towards the rocks, hoping the arrows wouldn't follow in time. I threw a stream of flame at them, making them reel back. It could have never reached them, but it had the desired effect of putting them even more off balance. I reached the roadside, just to hear a rumbling above me. I looked to see a large dark shape come down and clip my head, and everything went dark.

I awoke, my head feeling as if a giant had danced a gig upon it, to chuckling. I looked at its source to find a tall, lanky Altmer looming above me.

"So you're the one who tried to resist? I must say, the lackeys made you sound like a much... bigger person… Oh! I almost forgot to introduce myself, where are my manners? I am Aiden, the leader of these mongrels. Now who might you be hmmm?" Aiden wrenched my face up to stare into his green eyes.

"Armel," I managed to cough out, his grasp becoming painful.

"Armel... Well Armel, no need for you to stay awake anymore. I'll leave you to sleep some more hmm?" he chuckled, before rapping me on the forehead with the pommel of a dagger, and the world dissolved back into darkness.

I gasped in pain as ice cold water crashed into my head, still sensitive from my capture. "Wake up Breton! Boss wants to see you!" my head throbbed from the volume of the Nord's voice. I felt my bonds cut and I was hauled to a ramshackle house in the fort. My jailor and I arrived to find Aiden eating breakfast, and the smell of cooked venison and cheese reached my nose. My mouth started to water, and my stomach growled with hunger. How long had it been since I had been captured?

"Oh! Armel! Please, do sit down!" Aiden remarked, as if I was a long lost friend, crumbs spilling from his full mouth, and he waved his knife in the general direction of a chair. "Please, help yourself," he motioned, indicating the mead and meat in front of me. I glanced suspiciously up at Aiden. If he wanted to poison me, this would be the time. But the smell of food and the sight of drink overcame my distrust. I cautiously took a sip of mead, trying with all my might to detect any odd tastes within the liquid gold. "I can see that look on your face Armel, and I am offended. I would not invite you up for breakfast, just to risk poisoning myself in my attempt to poison you? Don't you know us Altmer are much more... Civilized than that?" Aiden chuckled, watching me start to tear into a loaf of bread.

"How long have I been here?" I asked between sips of mead and gnawing at the remains of my loaf of bread, my hunger starting to subside. I set my hand under the table and attempted to bring a simple spark to my fingertips. Not even a sizzle. Out of the corner of my eye I spied my gear, tidily folded up and stowed away on a shelf within his house.

"A couple of days. Now Armel, I have a... Proposition for you. You caused one of my men to die. Normally, I would kill you slowly and painfully, before tying you to a stake in front of the camp as a warning to those who would try. However..." he started picking at his teeth with his dagger. "That particular man was plotting to try and steal my gold and life. So I give you a choice, join my little band of merry men and live, or die quickly and painlessly," the dagger whistled through the air, before lodging in the wood with a dull thud. "You do not have to answer me now. Just sleep on it," his voice drew out to a dark chuckle. I looked up at him quizzically, when he started to spin. I collapsed out of my chair, and glared up at the still spinning Aiden as he stood above me, a gloating smile upon his face. The bastard still somehow poisoned me, while he ate the same food!

"Wha... Why? You said..." I gasped out, as the world started to collapse around me. Only my anger kept my mind from slipping away.

"Oh Armel... Tsk. You trusted me? I didn't lie to you, not completely. I did poison the food, but gave myself an antidote first, just for safety. My vision finally flickered away, but I could hear the heavy footsteps of others approaching Aiden and I. "Tie him back up. Ensure he continues getting his dosage. I don't need a rogue mage in the camp," ordered Aiden, all the warmth gone from his voice, replaced by cold steel.

"Ya boss," The others replied, before the world disappeared again into nothingness.


	3. Chapter 3

I was jarred back into reality by my face meeting the dirt floor of my prison tent. With a groan, I was hoisted to my feet by strong arms, and dragged up to Aiden's house on the hill. Eventually, I was seated on the rough ground in front of Aiden, as he toyed with his omnipresent dagger. "Have you come to a decision Armel? Will you join me? Or will you throw your life away?" His voice danced in my mind. My magicka was slowly returning to me as their poisons wore off, but I needed time. I needed a chance.

"Let me die in my armor, Altmer."

"That can be arranged." he said, an almost sad note teasing me in his voice. He flicked his wrist, and I was once again hoist to my feet, and dragged into his shack, where my armor was kept. I hid a smile as they dragged me into it. Hopefully this would give me my chance.

"Any last words?" Aiden asked, his palm freezing around the edges. My hopes for escape were fading as fast.

"Just get it over with, scum," I growled. He smirked, and I closed my eyes, reciting a prayer to Arkay in my mind. I heard a whisper in the wind, and looked up at Aiden, confused. Aiden was clutching his shoulder, which had sprouted feathers. Arrow feathers, I realized, as his robes started to be stained by the red seeping between his fingers. Aiden roared in pain, and stumbled out of my vision. Chaos erupted. Someone yelled that the Legion was attacking, and over the din you could faintly hear the Legion marching in, their boots stomping in time. I felt the hands holding me down disappear. It was now or never. I burned my bonds off, using a large portion of the magicka I had, and ran for Aiden's shack. I wanted my staff back, and hopefully some revenge.

I heard Aiden cursing and rummaging around as I entered the shack. I grabbed my staff, and peeked into the back room, spying Aiden's hunched shadow. With a crack, Aiden snapped the arrow shaft, and pulled it through him, hissing as it exited. His hand glowed with a soft golden light as he started to knit together the flesh. I took the blunt end of my staff and smacked him in the elbow, making him to release the spell and look at me, rage filling his eyes. "Miss me?" I taunted, before he launched a shard of ice at my head, which I narrowly dodged. "I see you just did," I snapped out, my staff rushing towards him.

Aiden nimbly dodged, before he hurdled a blast of frost at me, chilling me to the bone. Suddenly he was on me, dagger in hand, bloodlust in his eyes. I shoved him away, earning a gash on my forearm for my troubles, and another face full of magical frost, ice starting to cling to my skin.

I stumbled back into the main room of the dilapidated building, Aiden hot on my heels. I winced as pain lit up my side, his dagger managing to plunge through my armor. I couldn't keep this up much longer, not without magicka. Aiden crashed into another wall, and the shadows on the walls swayed. Wait, swayed? My mind almost froze, then I glanced up to see a lantern hanging from the rafters. I knocked the wind from Aiden, before bringing what little magicka I had left into a charge of lightning in my palm.

"Die," I growled out, and snapped the thin rope holding the lantern with a bolt of lightning, draining me completely. I jumped from the shack, landing roughly in the dirt, as the lantern shattered, and Aiden started to scream. As the flames caught, and the dry wood starting to eagerly burn, Aiden's screaming petered out.

"Armel!? what are you doing here!" I heard a familiar voice cry incredulously. I rolled over to see Hadvar jogging up, sword bloody and shield dented.

"Hadvar! So good that you could join me!" I coughed out. Hadvar smiled, before getting an apologetic look on his face.

"I am sorry about this Armel, but we have been ordered to take any survivors into custody, which includes you friend. I'm sure you were not part of the bandits holed up here, but orders are orders." I stared at him, shocked, before slumping back down on the ground, exhausted, my wounds throbbing in pain.

"Fine. You wouldn't happen to have a healer, would you?"

"You were at Helgen." It was less of a question and more of a statement. Tullius recognized me.

"Yes I was, General. I was on my way here to seek a pardon, until I was captured by some bandits. Luckily for me, this time your Legionaries were on my side. Sort of." Tullius gave a snort, and paced around his map.

"Well, as far as I see it, your involvement in Helgen was all a mistake, and by all accounts you were a captive of the bandits, until you escaped in the assault. Besides, if you were one of those Stormcloak traitors or a bandit you wouldn't have came here willingly," He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "You are sure you don't want to join the Legion? Hadvar speaks quite highly of you, and you managed to escape Helgen, not many can boast of that."

"I am sure sir. No offence to the Empire, but I want no part in this Civil War. I can to Skyrim to learn at the College of Winterhold, not to fight in a war!"

"Very well. If you change your mind, the offer still stands." I gave a slight bow, before exiting. Hadvar was waiting for me in the waiting room.

"So how did it go?" He asked, boredom leaking through every syllable.

"Well, I am a free man, no worrying about the Legion anymore. I'm off to the docks, to find a ship to Winterhold."

Later, I stumbled into Hadvar in the local inn, nursing a mead. I plunked myself on the stool next to him, and whistled myself up a Cyrodillic Brandy, one of my favorites from home, and had the barkeep leave the bottle with the glass. "Well, the first ship to Winterhold leaves in four days time. I might go up and see if the court needs anything done. The Divines know I need the gold." I downed the first glass of brandy, before pouring myself another. Hadvar chuckled, before downing his bottle.

"If you would like some backup, I'm on leave for the week. Just tell me when." I laughed, before slapping him on the back.

"You and me, back together? Those bandits better run!"

"We are going in where?" asked Hadvar again as we climbed up the snowy slope of the mountain.

"Wolfskull Cave. You know, where Potema did all her necromancy during the War of the Red Diamond. The court looked ready to dismiss the poor fella who came to ask for help, but he seemed actually scared, so I volunteered. We don't get paid unless something is wrong, so hope for the worst, I guess." Hadvar groaned halfheartedly.

"So this is the place?" Hadvar asked, his voice adopting a tremor. The entrance to the cave was little more than a gash in the surrounding rock. No wonder the locals were scared of this place.

"Yep." I started to duck into it, before a rasping caught my attention. I turned around to find a skeleton digging itself from the hill face beside me, followed by another. I quickly sent them back to their graves with a jolt of magic, but they sealed the deal, so to speak. Something was definitely wrong with this cave. "Come on Hadvar, let's get this over with." I heard him grumble as I stooped into the cave.

"What is that!" I yelled. A shriveled up corpse stared up at me, eyes aglow in blue light. It growled something, before swinging at me, it's war axe glinting. I managed to deflect the blow, before taking its head off.

"Draugr," Hadvar grumbled, yanking his sword from the chest of another. "We must be dealing with Necromancers." We stepped through another opening to find a ruin, aglow in blue magic that flowed through the air like a river. Definitely Necromancers.

"We hoped too hard Hadvar."

"Wolf Queen. Hear our call and awaken. We summon Potema!" The chant echoed off the cave walls, and it made my blood run cold. These damned necromancers were trying to summon Potema herself! Hadvar and I hurried through the ruins, cutting down the Draugr and necromancers that stood in our way.

"Yes, Yes! Return me to this realm!" I heard a female voice answer the chants. It couldn't be... They had actually succeeded in bringing her spirit back! Hadvar and I crashed our way through the remaining necromancers. We could not let Potema be bound.

"You ants don't have the power to bind me!" Potema's spirit hissed maliciously at the necromancers. Hadvar and I finally made it to the last tower, and the chanting stopped. We heard the necromancers murmur, confused to why their binding was not working. We would give them no time to understand why.

I leaped up the last steps and shoved my staff through the closest Necromancer, his cry bouncing off the cave walls. Hadvar charged up after me, swinging at the others. A fireball charred the front of my armor, rocking me on my heels, before I sent another Necromancer hurdling off the tower, electricity crackling along his robes. The last Necromancer was still weaving the streams of Potema's soul, still trying to finish the binding. She jerked as my blade sunk into her, and Potema's soul fled the cave.

"Well, that was a fun way to spend your break from the Legion, right Hadvar?" I joked, as I healed the cuts we had earned from our headlong charge. Hadvar gave a small chuckle, before we broke out in laughter.

"They were trying to summon Potema!" Falk Firebeard gasped after I told him about the necromancers. "The chaos her return would have caused at a time like this! We cannot thank you enough," Falk set a rather large coin purse into my hand. "But we can try."

Hadvar and I drank our fill that night, laughing and enjoying our spoils. When the ship finally left, I still had quite a bit of gold jingling in my pockets. Life was starting to look up again.


	4. Chapter 4

"Armel! Focus!" reprimanded Colette Marence as my ward began to flicker, her voice echoing across the Hall of the Elements. I ripped my mind from my daydreams just in time to have a fireball shatter the film of magic, rocking me on my heels. My face glowed as I heard the stifled laughter of my classmates. My partner in the exercise, Strides-In-Ash, ran up to me.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked, wringing his hands. Strides-In-Ash, or Ash as the others and I called him, barely came up to my shoulder, with grey scales and a deep red throat. Atop his head he had another splash of deep red, this time in the form of feathers.

"I'm fine Ash. Thanks for asking." Colette gave us a stern glare, before turning her attention back to the whole class. "Get back to your spot Ash, lets continue the lesson." Ash quickly nodded, before scampering back to his earlier spot across from me. I rolled my shoulders, before projecting my ward again. Another monotonous day.

"Armel, could I speak with you for a moment?" Colette's voice rang through the Hall, and over the buzz of the adjourning lesson. I walked over to where the Wizard was sitting. She did not look up from her book, most likely about her precious school of restoration.

"Yes Colette?"

"I have noticed you have been slipping in my lessons Armel," she sighed, flipping another page. "I know that you have a decent grasp upon the concepts I have been teaching. So, I have decided to have you help Phinis Gestor with his research project instead of being distracted in my class." I stared at her, stunned at what she had just uttered. It was true I had been distracted during her lessons. But to have this happen... Was it a blessing or a curse? "Any questions?"

"When... When, do I begin?" Her book closed with a slap, and she stood, only coming up to my chin, rather short for a Breton. That, or I was rather tall.

"Tomorrow. Have a good day Armel!" She smiled cheerfully, before walking off, whistling a little tune.

"Ah Armel! So good for you to join me!" Phinis said sarcastically. "It will be good to have help on a project like this!" We were standing in a small experiment room off of the Hall of the Elements, and it was packed to the brim with iron, steel, and other materials.

"What is your project, exactly?" I asked nervously. Phinis had a reputation of having dangerous experiments, usually involving trying to summon some odd Daedric beast from Oblivion, and usually they were quite violently opposed to being on Tamriel.

"You know what an Atronach is, right Armel?" He said, ignoring my question.

"Yes, they are an elemental Daedra, and an extremely common summon."

"Exactly! However, I have sources that say in Daggerfall, during the rise of the Septim Empire, some mages were able to create Atronachs! Obviously, they weren't creating Daedra, but I think they were creating something much, much more intriguing..." he trailed off, searching through his bag, before giving a cry of triumph. Pulling out a book, he flipped though it before he came to what seemed to be an Atronach. "I think they created Golems. Artificially created beings that are made of one element!"

"And you want to recreate one of these things?" Phinis nodded excitedly, before returning to his bag, and pulling out a handful of notes.

"Yes, of course! My only issue at this time is figuring out how to make one! I have deducted that they were created either binding a Daedric soul, or using some sort of other energy source, most likely a sufficiently powerful soul gem."

"Well then, where do we start?" I asked, Phinis drew out another handful of notes, and handed them to me. Our discussions lasted well into the night.

"Where were you this week Armel?" Ash asked as we sat and ate breakfast the next morning. I ripped open a loaf of bread, and stuffed some cheese in it.

"I have been assigned to help Phinis Gestor with his newest research project. It has been... Time consuming to say the least." I had been some time since I had been able to sit down and eat with my fellow apprentices, the rigors of assisting a man such as Phinis did not allow many breaks.

"Well, just be careful. Those stories we hear about his assistance disappearing may not be true, but it doesn't hurt just to be a little more cautious!"

"I will Ash. Sorry about leaving so soon, but I have to get back to helping Phinis. Have a good day!" I walked off, munching on my cheese filled bread, my mind filled with the possibilities this day of work could bring.

"Armel, wait!" I turned to find Ash running up to me. "We haven't talked in weeks! How's the research going?" It was not hard to believe that it had been such a long time. Phinis and I had made such progress in our work, and had started to narrow in on a successful procedure in creating a Golem.

"Good. Great, if I do say so myself. Phinis and I are making great progress! How has class been?"

"Uneventful, but I am learning a lot. Tolfdir has had us practicing casting flesh spells quite a bit." I snorted. Tolfdir would still be on his safety kick, even after such a long period of time in the College.

"Well, I have to get back to the research. Have fun with Tolfdir!" I heard Ash give a hissing laugh, as I made my way back to Phinis' experimentation room.

"I have it!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet, I scribbled more of my idea onto an extra paper, before giving it to Phinis. "We have been overlooking this the entire time!" Phinis slumped into his chair in shock, before rapidly writing a note that he shoved into my hands.

"Go to Sergius, tell him to give you a filled grand soul gem. If he complains, give him this note." I nodded, before sprinting off to find Sergius.

I returned to find another humanoid shape sitting in the center of the room, made entirely of steel. We had made many others like this one, but they had all failed. This time, it might just actually work! I gave the soul gem to Phinis, who finished a few extra bits of setup, before we started our binding.

"It's working!" I heard Phinis cry out, his voice cracking out of excitement and exhaustion. I looked up to see the Golem starting to come to life, it's arms moving and eyes glowing. We finished the binding, and the Golem was complete! We stood back, surprised, as the Golem looked around the room, before its gaze settled on Phinis. "I command you to raise your arms" Phinis crowed. The Golem, after a slight hesitation, lifted them. Phinis giggled like a child, before composing himself again. "I now command you to walk around this room!" The golem took a step, the footfall a resounding thud against the stone floor. Then it took another, and another! It started to take its fourth step, when its eyes started to fade in and out. I heard Phinis gasp as if someone had stabbed him as the Golem's eyes faded completely, and it collapsed to the floor with a crash. "No! No! No!" Phinis cried, smash his fist atop the table in front of him. I slumped into the chair behind me. We had failed. Again.

After the last failure, Phinis stopped the research, and I returned to my regular classes. Life retuned to how it was before the hectic research and the burning disappointment. Occasionally, I could see Phinis slip into the experimentation room, and leave after a few hours. I figured he was just doing some result notes, or simply cleaning up our horrific mess. However, after class one day, I saw Phinis walking quite determinedly towards the experimentation room we had been doing our research in. In his eyes I saw a burning desire, and started to follow him. Something was off about how he was holding himself, how he was desperate to get to the room, as if we would stop him. If I would stop him.

"Phinis!" I cried after him, my voice echoing around the Hall. He only increased his pace in response. Now I knew something was up. I chased after him.

"Phinis!" I yelled into the room. He straightened as if shocked, before turning to me, as if he hadn't heard me before.

"Hello Armel," he stammered. Standing behind him was another statuesque being, made completely of steel. A Golem body. He hadn't given up. In his hands, he was trying to conceal a large, pitch black object. I glanced between the incomplete golem, his hands, and his face, before my mind caught up to him.

"Please don't tell me you are trying to do what I think you are," I implored, glaring at Phinis. If he was going to try and use a black soul to power this Golem, he was much more obsessed with this project that I had thought.

"I do not need your approval, Apprentice," he growled, suddenly returning to his old vitality. With a blast of magic, he paralyzed me. "I will make this work, and you will sit there and be a good apprentice," he patted me on the shoulder, before turning to the Golem, and starting the binding. I could only sit in watch in horror as he used the soul of some poor Man, Mer, or Beastfolk to bring his Golem to life.

After the binding was complete, he came and cured my paralysis. The Golem followed him everywhere he went, never leaving his side unless asked by him. It made me sick to my stomach. His use of a black soul for his Golem was a step too far. A step I could not forgive. "Phinis, you have the knowledge you wanted, now please destroy it. You have gone too far!" I implored. He turned to me, rage filling his eyes.

"This was not a step too far! This was a step in the right direction! Leave my presence now! Do not return until you have truly understood what I am trying to teach you!" He raged. The Golem stepped towards me, its hands ready to crush me on its master's command. I spun around and left, my mind still trying to digest what had happened.

"He did what!" Ash's eyes widened in shock. He crumpled down into the seat across from me, stunned.

"I know. I can hardly believe it myself, and I was there. I know the College has a lenient policy on Necromancy, but this is... Different to say the least!" Ash nodded in agreement.

"What should we do?"

"You will do nothing Ash. Doing anything will jeopardize your stay here, and you are not involved like I already am. Let me handle this." Ash nodded again, before moving for the door.

"What will you do Armel?" he asked softly.

"I will set things right."

That night I snuck my way into the forge room where we had created all of the golem prototypes. They laid scattered around the room, in various states of destruction. With a flick of my wrist, the forge and smelter leapt to life, casting a reddish glow on the walls. Slowly, I started to feed the broken golems into the smelter. My course of action was set.

Phinis was marching his atrocity around the Hall of the Elements, showing it off to the other Wizards, when I found him. He scowled as I approached, and his Golem trudged back to his side.

"Have you understood my lesson now Armel?" he growled, his eyes glowering at me.

"I understand what you were trying to teach me," Phinis' face relaxed into a smile. "However, I reject it." His face froze, before returning to its scowl. "I will ask you one last time. Destroy this profanity to our research!"

"Our research!?" he roared. "It is not OUR research, it is MY research! You were merely my assistant! Furthermore, I will not destroy my marvelous creation!" My heart sank. So this is what he thought of my help this whole time.

"Then you leave me no choice!" I slammed my staff to the ground with a reverberating clang. The hall grew silent at the implications of my action. However, I was not simply using my old sword staff everyone was used to. The blade of my new staff was now much heavier and longer, and where the counterweight of my old staff used to be, an protruding mace now sat. "Step aside Phinis. What you will not do, I will!" Phinis stepped between me and the Golem, magic crackling at his fingertips.

"You will do no such thing!" he cried, magic crackling at his fingertips. The others in the Hall started to back towards the walls, clearly seeing this verbal duel was going to become physical. We stared down each other, daring the other to make the first move.

I broke the standoff by swinging my staff, catching him in the knees and sending him careering across the floor, crying out in pain. Now that he was out of the way, I could do what I came here for. I looked up to see the Golem's arms reeling back, before it swung.

I threw myself into another blow on the Golem, the shrieking of metal on metal bouncing around the Hall. The Golem, unaffected by my blow, threw me across the hall. I heard Phinis cackling though my ringing ears, his enjoyment of this show all too obvious.

I stood, using my staff as a crutch. With a crackling blast of lightning, I slowed the Golem down as it plodded towards me. With another blast, I knocked it to its knees. The lightning was doing no harm to the monstrosity, but it was knocking it down.

With a grim smile, I started to blast the Golem with fire. Under the intense heat, the chest of the Golem started to bubble, the steel melting and deforming. With the last of my magicka reserves, I blasted the fire through its chest. The Golem sat there, impotent but still intact. With a quick smash, I severed one arm, followed by another, the weakened steel finally giving way. I heard Phinis' cries of anguish as I disassembled the Golem, piece by piece. Finally, with one last, heartfelt swing, I smashed its head off, its remains skidding to a halt at Phinis' feet. It was done.

From behind me I heard a slow clap start. I turned to find the Arch Mage himself, Savos Aren, walking up to me. "That was quite the impressive show Armel. Quite the display of control over destruction magic," He drawled, his voice lazy and uninterested. "Normally, I would congratulate you for such a show, not all can boast of such skill at such a young age. However, you did assault one of our most esteemed Wizards," I saw Phinis hobble over, Colette fluttering around him like a worrying mother. "For that, you are expelled from the College. Effective immediately!" I bowed my head in respect. I knew this path could come with such a high cost.

"Arch Mage, if I made be so bold as to ask, what will the punishment for Phinis for using a black soul in this experiment?" Aren turned to me, a questioning look upon his face.

"Punishment? He did nothing outside the bounds of this establishment. All of his research materials were used and acquired according to the rules of this College. I expect you to be gone by the end of the day Armel, is this clear?"

"Clear as day sir," I mumbled, before walking out of the Hall. Phinis' laugh followed me as I strode from the Hall of the Elements, head held high. I had done the right thing, even if the Arch Mage did not want to agree with me.

"They can't do this!" Ash fumed. "There is no way that the use of black souls is allowed by the rules!" Ash was pacing at my door as I finished packing my sparse possessions.

"Even if it is against the rules Ash, no one is going to argue with the Arch Mage. Besides, I was growing tired of sleeping in lecture." I joked, a wiry smile dancing on my face. Ash just snorted at the joke, and resumed his pacing.

"Where will you go Armel?"

"I will wander, as I always seem to have done. Do not worry about me Ash, I probably will learn more out on the road than cooped up in the College." I swung my pack onto my back, and made for the door. "So long Ash."

As I left the bridge to the College and entered the remains of Winterhold, I looked back. What had seemed to be such an inviting building when I first arrived now seemed to be dark and imposing. No wonder the Nords disliked the College. I turned back to the road, and started walking. It was nice to be back in the clear air, even under such circumstances.

"Ho, Mage! Where are you off to?" asked a guard, clearly surprised to see a College mage out here.

"Wherever my feet take me friend!"


End file.
